Glossary

Reddish-brown paste or powder ground from annatto seeds with an earthy flavor. Used primarily in Mexican dishes like mole sauce cochinita pibil and tamales.

achiote paste/powder

A tough reddish-brown seed with a woodsy aroma and an earthy flavor. When ground it is called achiote paste.

Agar-Agar

A vegetarian alternative to gelatin that is derived from algae - it is flavorless and has a firm but less jiggly texture than gelatin - can be found in powder or flake form. 1 tsp gelatin = 1 tsp agar powder = 1 tbl agar flakes (sets 1 cup of liquid)

agar-agar pectin

A gelling or solidifying agent comes in sheets or more commonly in powder form - both kinds should be dissolved in cold water and once added to a recipe do not boil as this will make the gelatin ineffective - anything made with gelatin needs at least 8 hours to chill and set - remember that gelatin comes from animal collagen so if you are vegetarian use agar agar instead

Allspice

Similar to cloves but with a stronger flavor so it is mostly used in spice blends or very small amounts. .

Annatto Seeds

A tough reddish-brown seed with a woodsy aroma and an earthy flavor. When ground it is called achiote paste.

Asafoetida (Asafetida)

Used as a digestive aid in Indian cooking asafoetida has a strong odor that mellows out into a garlicky onion flavor.

Bain Marie

A water bath used to cook gently and uniformly - in the oven item being baked is placed in a larger dish and surrounded by hot or boiling water - on the stove a glass or metal bowl is placed over simmering water (also called a double boiler)

Baking Powder

leavening agent - it rises twice once when combined with a liquid and again when exposed to heat - this is important because it allows you to delay baking (so you can make the muffin batter in the afternoon but bake them fresh the next morning!) Unlike baking soda which lasts indefinitely baking powder's sensitivity to moisture gives it an expiration date. Baking powder should be kept in an airtight container (like the container it comes in) and stored in a cool dry place. To test freshness pour hot water over a teaspoon of baking powder and if it fizzes keep it if not toss it.

Baking Soda

leavening agent - requires an acid to work (ie. buttermilk yogurt lemon juice etc) - it rises only once and does so as soon as it is combined with the acid and liquid so it is best to bake items using only baking soda right away (and don't dilly dally once the batter is mixed)

Basil

Extremely aromaticand slightly lemony.

Bay Leaf (fresh/dry)

Adds a woodsy background note to soups and sauces.

Black Lime / Loomi

Ground from dried limes. Adds a sour kick to many Middle Eastern dishes.

Blanch

To cook briefly in boiling water usually used for vegetables or fruit, to prepare for freezing, and to ease skin removal.

Blind Bake

To bake a tart shell without its filling and weighted in the middle to prevent air bubbles forming under the dough. It is also to give the bottom a head start on cooking and to help keep it from shrinking - prick bottom of tart shell with a fork to prevent air bubbles line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans (if using beans they cannot then be cooked to eat so set them aside as your dedicated "blind bake beans" and use them until they start to smell funky)

Braise

To cook first by browning, then gently simmering in a small amount of liquid over low heat in a covered pan until tender.

Brine

Equal parts salt and sugar dissolved in water - used primarily for meats such as chicken turkey and pork to add moisture and flavor to the final product - the salt and sugar are there to facilitate moving more water into the meat (don't worry you aren't loading your chicken breast with salt and sugar) - times vary greatly depending on the size of what is being brined Chicken (whole) 6-8 hours Chicken (pieces) 2 hours (can be as little as 30 minutes if needed especially if boneless + skinless) Pork (tenderloin) 6-8 hoursTurkey 12-24 hours (depending on size)

Broil

To cook on a rack or spit under or over direct heat, usually in an oven.

Brown

To cook over high heat, usually on top of the stove, to brown food.

Buttermilk

Traditional buttermilk was made from the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream to substitute add 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup whole milk let sit 5 minutes

Cake Types

these cakes use the creaming method in which soft butter and sugar are beaten together in an electric mixer to partially dissolve the sugar and to incorporate some air then the dry and wet ingredients are added in alternation

Caramelize

To heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup ranging in color from golden to dark brown.

Caraway Seed

These slightly bitter licorish tasting seeds are essential for soda bread and sauerkraut.

Cardamom

A warm aromatic spice is widely used in Indian cuisine. It comes either whole or ground.

Cayenne Pepper

Made from dried and ground red chili peppers. Adds a sweet heat to soups braises and spice mixes.

Chervil

Delicate anise flavor. Great raw in salads or as a finishing garnish.

Chia Seeds

Nearly flavorless they can be ground into smoothies cereals and baked goods for extra nutrition and texture or even used as a vegan egg substitute.

chili powder hot paprika

Made from dried and ground red chili peppers. Adds a sweet heat to soups braises and spice mixes.

Chocolate Terms + Varieties

Cacao Chocolate Liquor Cocoa Butter Cocoa or Coco

Cilantro

From the coriander plant cilantro leaves and stems have a pungent herbaceous flavor. Used in Caribbean Latin American and Asian cooking.

cilantro (dry)

Earthy lemon flavor it is the seed of the cilantro plant.

Cinnamon (also Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon)

Found in almost every world cuisine cinnamon serves double duty as spice in both sweet and savory dishes.

Cloves

Sweet and warming spice. Used most often in baking but also good with braised meat.

Coriander Seed

Earthy lemon flavor it is the seed of the cilantro plant.

Cornstarch

A thickening agent - often preferred to flour b/c it has 2x the thickening power when heated with liquid it creates a flavorless transparent gel it is also gluten free - it thickens as it heats which makes it ideal for fruit fillings coating the fruits at room temperature and thickening their released juices as they cook in the oven - cornstarch lasts indefinitely so it is a good thing to have around

Cream of Tartar

stabilizing agent - most often used to stabilize beaten egg whites and whipped cream it can also help to keep sugar from crystalizing

Cumin

Smoky and earthy. Used in a lot of Southwestern U.S. and Mexican cuisine as well as North African Middle Eastern and Indian.

Curry Leaves

These pungent leaves are not related to curry powder but impart a similar flavor. Used in Indian Malaysian Sri Lankan Singaporean and Pakistani cuisine. Used to flavor curries soups stews and chutneys.

Deglaze

To loosen the brown bits from a pan by adding a liquid while the pan is hot.

Dill

Light and feathery herb with a pungent herb flavor. Use it for pickling with fish and over potatoes.

Egg Wash

A beaten egg usually thinned with a little water that helps crusts brown nicely it also creates a bit of a glossy finish - for less gloss simply thin the egg with more water

Fennel Seed

Lightly sweet and licorice flavored. It's excellent with meat dishes or even chewed on its own as a breath freshener and digestion aid!

Fenugreek

Smells a bit like maple syrup while cooking but it has a rather bitter burnt sugar flavor. Found in a lot of Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.

Flour

The powder ground from cereal grains beans seeds or roots - unless specified it refers to ground wheat kernels. There are many types of wheat flour differentiated by things like protein content gluten hard vs soft wheat etc - I will go into a few so you have a general idea why you are using one or another but it is always best to use the flour called for in a recipe

Fresh / Dried Herbs

Adds a woodsy background note to soups and sauces.

Garlic Powder

Garlic powder is made from dehydrated garlic cloves and can be used to give dishes a sweeter softer garlic flavor.

Gelatin

A gelling or solidifying agent comes in sheets or more commonly in powder form - both kinds should be dissolved in cold water and once added to a recipe do not boil as this will make the gelatin ineffective - anything made with gelatin needs at least 8 hours to chill and set - remember that gelatin comes from animal collagen so if you are vegetarian use agar agar instead

A vegetarian alternative to gelatin that is derived from algae - it is flavorless and has a firm but less jiggly texture than gelatin - can be found in powder or flake form. 1 tsp gelatin = 1 tsp agar powder = 1 tbl agar flakes (sets 1 cup of liquid)

Peppercorns

Peppercorns come in a variety of colors (black white pink and green being the most popular). These are pungent and pack a some heat.

Pie Weights

used to blind bake a tart shell - you can buy pie weights but I prefer to use dried beans because they are a lot cheaper and work just as well - you can keep the beans for several uses but don't eat them once used for blind baking

Poach

to cook gently in simmering liquid - liquid should cover food completely and should not be brought to a boil

Render

To cook fatty meat or poultry—such as bacon or goose—over low heat to obtain drippings.

Rosemary

Woodsy and an arromatic pine flavor.

Saffron

A subtle but distinct floral flavor and aroma. It gives foods like paella that distint wellow color. It comes from the stamen part of a crocus plant and while it is the most expensive spice in the world a little goes a long way.

Sage

Woodsy flavor with more lemony and eucalyptus notes than rosemary. Found in a lot of northern Italian cooking.

Salt

Not much explanation needed here except that there are three main kinds of salt determined by the coarseness of each salt crystal - coarse is great for your grinder kosher is my favorite for cooking because it is easier to pinch between my fingers giving me more control over how much I am adding and fine (or table) salt which I use for brining because it dissolves very quicklyWhat you really need to know is that when measuring salt by volume for a recipe a teaspoon of fine table salt has twice the salting power as kosher salt!! This is another reason I choose kosher salt for baking - I would rather under salt than over salt my cake (most likely ruining a tasty treat)

Saute

to cook quickly in a pan over high direct heat with a little bit of oil - the pan should be hot before food is put in so that there is a sizzle when it is added - just be careful not to get the pan too hot and burn the oil or butter before food is added

Shiso

A member of the mint family this herb is used extensively in Japanese Korean and Southeast Asian cooking as a wrap for steaming fish and vegetables in soups and as a general seasoning.

Simmer

gentle bubbling of liquid below the boiling point - smaller less frequent bubbles

Smoke Point

exactly what it sounds like - every fat has a smoke point which determines its use oils usually have the smoke point somewhere on the label - frying requires a high temp so using a low smoke point olive oil would be ill advised

Spices

Used as a digestive aid in Indian cooking asafoetida has a strong odor that mellows out into a garlicky onion flavor.

Star Anise

Whole star anise can be used to add a sweet licorice flavor to sauces and soups.

Steep

to soak dry ingredients in liquid to rehydrate them or infuse liquid with their flavor

Sugar

sourced mostly from sugar cane and sugar beets it takes on multiple forms (not to mention its naturally occurring presence in many other foods like fruit)

Sumac

Zingy and lemony sumac is a Middle Eastern spice that's great in marinades and spice rubs.

Summer Savory

Peppery green flavor similar to thyme. Mostly used in roasted meat dishes and stuffing but also goes well with beans.

Sweat

just like us foods sweat when things get hot - most often used for onions or mushrooms cooking them over med-hi heat until their moisture is released

Temper

to temper eggs is to heat them up without scrambling when they are being combined with a very hot liquid - it is important to very slowly add some of the hot liquid while whisking the eggs - about 1/4 of the hot liquid should be added to the eggs before this mixture can be added back into the rest of the liquid - - also a technique for stabilizing chocolate when making candy it involves heating and cooling to certain temperatures in order to keep the chocolate glossy